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Call Sign November 2011
The Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers Disneyland Trip
WHY THEY DO IT...
Last month's Call Sign contained a report on the 2011 Children's Magical Taxi Trip to the Disneyland resort in Paris, where around 300 children
and helpers travelled across the Channel in 100 licensed London taxis for the 18th consecutive year since the Worshipful Company of Hackney
Carriage Drivers first made the trip in 1994. The children all suffer from chronic and life-threatening illnesses.
So to answer the question as to why they do it, these two pictures say it better than any words of ours ever could...
Call Sign's Gary Cox (O46) pops in to see one of the Games lesser-known sports...
Olympics and white water canoeing!
Determined to hammer the Olympics, I set off for the Lee
Valley white water canoe and kayaking centre on the leafy
boarders of Essex and Herts. First dig is the car parking, sec-
ond dig the loos! Probably one pound for a bottle of water
and £1.50 for a bottle of Pepsi - sorry Coke, it's the
Olympics! Then there's the three quid for a posh sandwich!
I wonder if Call Sign gives expense accounts?
I just knew l was on sticky ground because all passed
muster with flying colours. A quick walk round the course
free of bloody charge. What game's this! I sidled up to
(30-ish) Kelly behind the counter.
"Hello honey," I asked politely, "who's paying for all this?"
She smiled at me. Perhaps she was only 25-ish!
"Well if the teams want to come and practice, its £400
an hour and we've got 5 teams in today!"
I left with a smile and Kelly knew she had one over
White water
canoeing in
Waltham Cro
me. Mind you, I have to hand it to FaulknerBrowns,
ss!
the Architects who did the buildings and the canoe course located within
the parkland setting by landscape architects Michael Van Valkenburg Associates. Even if it did cost
£31million! Maybe we should throw the Olympic traffic problems their way!
The problems really mounted for me when I turned and bumped into Johny Akinyemi. Born in Warrington, he hopes to qualify for
the Nigerian canoe and kayaking team in February. Johny gave me a quick explanation of the course, but once he mentioned that it
was a 1 in 8 drop, something inside me lost interest in representing team GB. Mind you, if he doesn't win a medal he's gonna win a
few female fans especially Kelly and other 20-year olds!
Bottom line is this and I'll nick the line from the woman who opened it - the Princess Royal: You don't have to like children to do
what's right by them! In other words pop in and make your own mind up. Let's face it, you either talk it up or talk it down and like
me, you could find yourself converted. But hold your horses Boris; we still need a chat about the traffic dear.
In my mind's eye, this new centre I suspect will grow and develop into a real success - then they may well have the traffic problems
and the £3 posh sandwich! Even the loos are free and there are lots of them.
Go to www.gowhitewater.co.uk, it's on the Eleanor Cross Road, Waltham Cross EN8 - sure beats a day out on the Serpentine!
I'll leave the last word to Johny Akinyemi: "If I can inspire young Nigerians to rise through the ranks and beat me, then that would
be my greatest achievement."
We at Call Sign would like to thank Johny and wish him well at the Games and in his accountancy career - if TV doesn't get him first!
Gary Cox (O46)
